The most recent problem I am having with my car is a leaking cam seal that was replaced. The mechanic informed me that there was a small scratch on the cam causing oil to leak out from around the seal (this was after trying to sell me on the idea that it was not the seal that was leaking, but in fact, the head gasket and the valve cover - both of which i'd already had inspected by a different mechanic and found to be in good condition with no leaks). They went ahead and replaced the seals, but now the leak is progressively worse. I'm fairly sure that whoever put the seal on failed to make sure it was seated properly in it's groove and it's worked itself over the lip somehow and is causing a bigger leak. The supposed scratch on the cam has been there for years and only really became a problem after such a long period had passed that so much oil had built up around the leak and started to burn off the engine causing the car to smoke and smell. The leak has increased to such a size that oil now drips onto the driveway under my car, which it never did before with such a small slow leak.
My question is; Is it possible this larger leak is a result of the mechanic improperly installing the cam seal and NOT a result of the scratch on the cam? Or could the scratch become larger over time allowing more oil to leak out? Should the mechanic have resurfaced the cam during the original repair to eliminate the scratch?
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Sunday, August 6th, 2006 AT 1:23 PM
